Slain owner of Malina's bar wanted safe, 'positive space'

The owner died and two others were wounded in a shooting at Malina's Sports Bar, 691 N. Dale St., early Sunday. (Pioneer Press: Andy Greder)

The St. Paul bar owner fatally shot in his business Sunday was committed to making his bar a safe place, but he couldn't always control who was hanging out there, people who knew Vone Moua said Monday.

People in the Frogtown neighborhood are saying the shooting that killed the 45-year-old and injured two others in Malina's Sports Bar may have been a dispute over asking people to leave, said Sam Buffington, Frogtown Neighborhood Association community organizer.

That fits with what Tou SaiKo Lee, a spoken-word artist, hip-hop emcee and community organizer, knew about Vone Moua.

"He created a positive space at Malina's and cleaned up the bar so there weren't negative elements," Tou SaiKo Lee said.

Vone Moua, the owner of Malina's Sports Bar in St. Paul, was shot in his bar Sunday and died at the hospital. (Courtesy of Pheng Vang)

"I know he definitely wouldn't let anyone who was creating a negative vibe have a presence at his bar."

Police arrested Yia Her, 26, of Oakdale on Sunday on suspicion of homicide. Police haven't disclosed a motive for the shooting, but have said it wasn't random.

Though the bar at 691 N. Dale St. sometimes ran afoul of St. Paul licensing requirements and faced penalties from the city, Vone Moua seemed to be trying to make Malina's a better place, though "certainly it didn't always work out," Buffington said.

"If you talk to any of the bar owners in this neighborhood and similar neighborhoods, there's a certain element that starts coming to these bars and it's hard to control that," Buffington said. "... Unlike some other bars we've had in the neighborhood, I don't think this was a place that was catering to a gang clientele. People felt Vone was trying more than some others."

Although Vone Moua was a businessman, Buffington didn't see him as being in it just for the money. He and his wife were also social workers and "there was an important social aspect of what they were doing," he said. "He talked about the place as a hub for the community," Buffington said.

Vone Moua often advised people about going to college and anything else he could help them with, Tou SaiKo Lee said.

"He was just someone who was very positive, very welcoming and he treated everyone like family who came to his place," Tou SaiKo Lee said. "Everyone valued him as a friend and mentor." Vone Moua was the father of four children, and he and his wife are expecting another child.

Vone Moua's family declined comment Monday.

Tou SaiKo Lee said Vone Moua wanted to showcase musicians and performers at Malina's because "he really supported the performing arts." Vone Moua used to have regular performances at the bar, and more recently had been hosting karaoke competitions there, Tou SaiKo Lee said.

A police report said the shooting occurred between 2:30 and 2:41 a.m. Sunday, and police said they responded to Malina's at 2:40 a.m. on a report of three people shot. The bar's closing time was 2 a.m.

Officers found three men inside the bar with gunshot wounds. Vone Moua died at Regions Hospital. A second man was admitted and treated for nonlife-threatening injuries, police said Sunday. The third victim was treated and released. Police haven't released names of the other victims.

Yia Her is being held Monday in the Ramsey County Jail. St. Paul police arrested the Oakdale man at a St. Paul address Sunday at 12:04 p.m., according to a jail log. Court records show he has no criminal history.

The Ramsey County attorney's office is reviewing the case for charges, which could come as early as Tuesday morning, an office spokesman said.

Police weren't elaborating on whether they're looking for other suspects, a police spokesman said Monday.

LICENSING PROBLEMS

Vone Moua has been listed as Malina's owner since 2002, according to city licensing records. The last five penalties for license violations were handed out between May 2007 and July 2012.

The city council suspended the bar's licenses last July for 12 days for alcohol sales/consumption after 2 a.m. There was a similar violation in July 2011, with at least 50 people found drinking at about 2:45 a.m. and the bar was fined $1,000.

Malina's is required to maintain video surveillance cameras inside and outside the bar, and to provide them to police "immediately upon request," according to license conditions. Other license violations were related to the camera provision, city records show.

St. Paul Department of Safety and Inspections hasn't heard from the bar since the homicide about what will happen to the establishment. Vone Moua's wife is also listed on the bar's licenses, so the bar could continue operating, said Robert Humphrey, DSI spokesman.

Vone Moua had been interested in the past in making his bar into a private club with paid membership, Buffington said.

"He was trying to change who was coming to his bar and have a little more control over that," he said.

DSI staff recall discussion in 2002 about the establishment becoming a private club, but records show Vone Moua didn't apply for a license that would have made that happen, Humphrey said.

There was a homicide outside Malina's, in the bar's parking lot, in 2011, but it wasn't connected to the bar, which wasn't open at the time -- people had driven to the lot for a drug deal.

Adrian Drew lives down the street from Malina's and said there was an occasional bar fight, but "nothing severe" there before Sunday.

He described Malina's as a neighborhood bar with pool tables and karaoke. Vone Moua was "always a nice guy" who would greet patrons with "Hi," when they came in, Drew said.

"He was a pretty quiet guy and I can't imagine him getting into a situation that would get him shot."

Vone Moua will be remembered at the Frogtown Neighborhood Association's annual meeting/party and people will be able to donate to his family there. The event is Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the West Minnehaha Recreation Center, 685 W. Minnehaha Ave. People interested in donating to Vone Moua's family who won't be attending the event can contact the neighborhood association at 651-789-7480.